Mycoplasma haemofelis is the most common erythroparasite in felines (Reagan, 30). This tiny blood parasite is the cause of feline hemotropic mycoplasmosis (FHM), formerly known as feline infectious anemia (FIA) (“New: IDEXX…”). Previously known as Haemobartonella felis or Eperythrozoon felis, these hemoplasmas were considered rickettsial organisms until the late 1990s following genetic sequence analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA that revealed a closer pylogenetic relationship to the Mycoplasma genus ("Mycoplasma Haemofelis ", Allison). Although hemoplasmas are generally species specific and morphologically similar infections occur in a variety of other vertebrae species worldwide; reported infections in immunocompromised people also suggest the possibility of zoonotic transmission (Reagan, 30, Allison). In recent reports, an HIV-infected human was found to be co-infected with Bartonella henselae and a hemoplasma genetically similar to M. haemofelis; the patient possessed five Bartonella spp. positive cats, two of which were positive for M. haemofelis (Allison). Numerous scratch and bite wounds were noted on the human patient, suggesting a route of transmission (Allison). Hemoplasmas are transmitted by transfer of infected blood, either through transfusion, contamination, arthropod vectors (fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, flies, and lice), or by vertical transmission between a queen and her offspring (Allison, “New: IDEXX ..."). As previously mentioned in the case of the human patient, aggressive behaviors such as biting and scratching have also been associated with transmission and is supported by studies reporting hemoplasmic DNA in the saliva, gums and claw beds of infected felines (“New: IDEXX…”, Allison). Three mycoplasmas were... half of the document...... annual. 5th ed. Ames: Blackwell, 2001. 47. Print.Ishak, A.M., K.L. Dowers, M.T. Cavanaugh, C.C. Powell, J.R. Hawley, S.V. Radecki, and M.R. Lappin. “Marbofloxacin for the treatment of experimentally induced Mycoplasma Haemofelis infection in cats.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. United States National Library of Medicine, March 22, 2008. Web. February 16, 2014. "Mycoplasma Haemofelis." MicrobeWiki. Kenyon College, n.d. Web. 09 February 2014."New: IDEXX RealPCR™ Test for Feline Hemotropic Mycoplasma (FHM) (formerly known as Haemobartonella), from IDEXX Reference Laboratories." IDEXX Laboratories diagnostic update. IDEXX Laboratories, June 2007. Web. 8 February 2014.Reagan, William J., Armando R. Irizarry Rovira, and Dennis B. DeNicola. "Red blood cell inclusions and parasites". Veterinary hematology: Atlas of common domestic and non-domestic species. 2nd ed. Ames, IA: Blackwell, 2008. 30. Print.